Electric-alarm letter-box



(No Model.)

W. B. DETWILLER. ELECTRIC ALARM LETTER Box.

Patented Aug. 5, 1890 WWW ' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.)

WILLIAM B. DETVVILLER, OF RADNOR, OHIO.

ELECTRIC-ALARM LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,560, dated August 5, 1890.

Application filed February 28,1890. Serial No. 342,176. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, \VILLIAM B. DETWILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Radnor, in the county of Delaware and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Alarm Mail-Boxes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in alarm letter-boxes; and the novelty will be fully understood from the following description and claims, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which the figure is a vertical sectional view of my improved letterbox, showing the interior mechanism thereof partly in section and partly in elevation. I

In carrying out my invention the box A may be of any preferable configuration, and may be constructed of any material desired.

' At a suitable point of altitude upon the inside of one of theside walls of the box I secure a bracket-platform B, to which are attached the several elements of my improved automatic mechanism, presently to be described. This platform B is provided at a point adjacent to one of its ends with a longitudinal slot, as illustrated, which is of a suitable width to receive apressuresprin g C, which plays therein. This fiat pressure-spring O has one of its ends bent at an angle and attached to the top of the platform adjacent to one end thereof,-and it is then bent downwardly and upwardly to form a loop, the free end of which is attached to the inner end of the plunger-rod by a screw or otherwise. The plunger-rod D, which is attached to the top of the platform and guided by metallic straps E, is preferably of a rectangular contour, and i-tis adapted, when released from atrigger, to be pressed by the spring G against an electric button, where a bell is rung to inform persons in the building that a letter has been deposited in the box. This plunger-rod D 'is provided in its top side at a suitable point intermediate of its length with an angular notch F, in-which is normally seated the angular end of a trigger-arm G, presently to be described.

Rising from the platform B adjacent to the end thereof, is a standard H, which is vertically slotted at a point adjacentto its middle to receive the pivoted end of the arm G, which engages the plunger-rod. The standard II is also provided at a point adjacent to its top with another vertical slot, in which is j ournaled a sheave-pulley Lover which passes apull-cord J, one end of which is suitably fastened to the trigger-arm G and the other to a pivoted door K, swinging in the front wall of the box and adjacent to the top thereof. 3

This swinging door K, whichis provided with a suitable pivot-pin, has suitably attached to it at a point adjacent to its top, one end of a tension-spring L, the other end of which is secured to the wall of the box, whereby the door K is normally held closed.

Fulcrumed in'a recess at the end of the platform B and in line with the plunger-rod D, is a lever-arm M, the upper end of which isconnected by a rod N, which passes through a slot in the standard II to the inner end of the plunger-rod by an .eye or other means, and the other or lower end of said lever M is connected by a rope or other suitable means to the discharge or innerdoor O. This door 0, which has its lower end hinged to the bottom of the box, is designed to allow the letters to be taken out by a person within the house.

The electric button P may be of any preferable construction, and may carry any approved form of contact devices desired; but I prefer to employ the form shown, whereby the circuit is completed by the connectingplate being pressed against the negative and positive elements, and the bell will consequently ring.

It is obvious that the galvanic battery and bell may be placed at any suitable point within either the box or the building where the box is placed.

In operation, when the door K is opened for the deposit of a letter the arm Gis disengaged from the plunger D, which being pressed by spring 0 presses the electric button and the bell rings until the door 0 is opened to remove the letter, when through the medium of the connecting-rope, the leverarm M, and connecting-rod N, the plunger is pulled away from the electric button and the trigger-arm drops into the notch thereof and. retainsthe plunger in a position away from the button, and thus stops the ringing.

notch, a trigger-arm pivoted in the standard .and connected to the door K, adapted to engage said plunger-rod, and a bell-button arranged in line with said plunger, whereby when the door K is opened a bell is rung, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with a letter-box carryin g an electric alarm, of a hinged door to receive letters, a hinged door to remove letters from the box, a spring normally holding the receiving-door closed, a sliding spring pressed bolt adapted to make and break contact with the alarm,-a cord and trigger connecting the receiving-door with the sliding bolt, and a pivoted arm or lever connected at one end withsaidbolt and at its opposite end with the door through which the contact of the-box is removed, substantially as specified,

3. The combination, with an electric alarm and letter-box, of a sliding bolt adapted to make electric connection with said alarm, a door for receiving letters and a door for removing letters, respectively connected with the sliding bolt, whereby when the receivingdoor has been opened the alarm may be sounded and when the removing-door has been opened the alarm will be reset, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with a letter-box having a door for receiving letters and also a door for removing letters, of an electric alarm connected with said boX, the bracket B, the notched slide-bolt arranged thereon, the spring backing'said bolt, so as to normally hold it in contact with the alarm mechanism,

the lever M, pivoted to the bracket and con- 

